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Jailhouse riot 'wasn't fun at all' says man who admits taking part

At one point, the smoke inside the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre was so bad corrections officers monitoring the riot had a hard time seeing what was going on
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City police cruiser is parked outside Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre on Sunday, jan. 27, during a homebrew-fuelled prison riot. James Hopkin/SooToday
A middle-aged inmate apologized Thursday for the role he played in a fiery jailhouse  riot that caused substantial damage to the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre earlier this year.

Michel Johnston told Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek that he was sorry for his "rude behaviour."

The 52-year-old man said he "wasn't thinking at the time" of the Jan. 27 incident that the court heard erupted after correctional officers discovered inmates drinking a homemade brew.

"I thought it was a little bit of a party," Johnston stated, admitting "it wasn't fun at all." 

He pleaded guilty to participating in a riot while covering his face with clothing.

Prosecutor David Didiodato said the officers detected the odour of a brew, shortly after 9 a.m., in the west unit where 19 prisoners were housed.

Johnston and two others were observed drinking from a laundry basket.

A verbal argument broke out between some inmates, the disturbance escalated and the area was locked down, the assistant Crown attorney said.

At 10:15 a.m., fire alarm sprinklers were activated in two cells and water began to flow from the upper area of the range, the court heard.

Words were exchanged between some of the inmates and a correctional officer, and Johnston, along with two others, were seen covering their faces, Didiodato said.

By 11:30 a.m., a fire had broken out in a common area and inmates had become agitated, Didiodato said.

Officers retreated to a secure area to monitor the inmates.

Smoke inside the wing was so bad that the guards had difficulty seeing into the area.

The officers believed that they had lost control of the situation and city police were called.

Didiodato said the fire caused significant damage to the wing, also indicating walls and the camera system were damaged in the incident.

The Crown and defence lawyer Jessica Belisle jointly recommended that Johnston receive an 11-month sentence.

Kwolek accepted their recommendation.

With the nine-month credit the judge gave Johnston for his pre-sentence custody, he faces a further 60 days behind bars.

"The riot had repercussions (such as overcrowding) for you and other inmates," he told the accused, calling it a "very serious offence."

Kwolek said the man's guilty plea had saved the court significant time for a trial that would have involved a number of individuals.

He also told Johnston that he's "not a young man anymore" and "I hope that you can get out and you can get your life in order."

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About the Author: Linda Richardson

Linda Richardson is a freelance journalist who has been covering Sault Ste. Marie's courts and other local news for more than 45 years.
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